Pembroke Pines honors plane crash heroes, demands safety study for North Perry Airport

CBS News

a day ago

The Pembroke Pines City Commission honored several good Samaritans Wednesday evening for their heroic efforts in saving a family of four from a fiery plane crash last month.
At the same meeting, city officials also passed a resolution urging Broward County to conduct a comprehensive safety study of North Perry Airport, a facility that has seen more than 35 crashes in the past five years.
A standing ovation filled the room as residents and city leaders recognized the men who leapt into action when a small aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood on July 13.
The plane, which had been returning from the Caribbean, struck a tree in the front yard of a home near Southwest 14th Street and 68th Boulevard, just west of North Perry Airport.
Among the honorees was Eddy Crispin, who helped rescue the family trapped in the wreckage.
"I don't want to say like it makes me feel very heroic or anything like that — I just feel like I was put in the position where I was supposed to be at the right place at the right time, and I wish and feel like anybody would do the same thing," said Crispin.
Safety concerns surrounding North Perry Airport dominated the meeting, with residents holding signs and speaking out in frustration.
Megan Bishop, who tragically lost her four-year-old son Taylor in a 2021 crash involving a small aircraft, called into the meeting to share her continued concern.
"Typically, fatalities ignite change, and to this date, I have not seen change come from that airport, and it reflects in the crashes that we have seen," Bishop said.
The commission unanimously approved a resolution requesting Broward County conduct a thorough safety review of the airport's operations and infrastructure.
"What's wrong with demanding safety and health improvements in airplane equipment and operations?" asked Commissioner Thomas Good Jr.
Mayor Angelo Castillo emphasized the scale of operations at the airport and the need for accountability.
"North Perry Airport is the busiest general aviation airport in the state of Florida. They have 850 — on average — 850 takeoffs and landings per day. We want them to be a good neighbor, but they have to be good, or they have to be done," said Castillo.
To continue the conversation, a town hall meeting will be held on August 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 7300 Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines, where the public will have the opportunity to voice their concerns and hear from local leaders about potential next steps.